Self-serving table.



F. E BRUNSON. SELF SERVING TABLE.

AlPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1908.

'3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

F. E. BRUNSON.

SELF SERVING TABLE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1908.

MEL W.

' atkmuf F. E. BRUNSON.

SELF SERVING TABLE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PatentedSept. 28, 1909.

ANDREW a. cumuu 20.. mmo-Lirnoammena wnsnmew FRANK E. BRUNSON, OF GUSTER, WASHINGTON.

SELF-SERVING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

Application filed. September 25, 1908. Serial No. 454,807.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. BRUNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Custer, in the county of Whatcom, State of Vashington, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Self-Serving Tables; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tables, more particularly to devices of this character having movable and stationary portions whereby articles placed upon the movable portions may be disposed opposite any required part of the stationary portion and known as self serving tables, and has for one of its objects to improve the construction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed device of this character whereby a tablecloth may be attached to and detached from the table members.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed device having an outer stationary portion and an inner rotatable portion, each portion having a tablecloth thereon, and with independent means for attaching and detaching the tablecloth portions.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereafter shown and described, and in the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure l is a side elevation of the improved device with one of the folding leaves released and with the outer table cloth portion in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view with the movable top portion detached. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail enlarged of the table cloth securing means for the stationary table top portion. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail enlarged of the table cloth securing means of the movable table top portion. Fig. 7 is an enlarged, sectional detail illustrating the construction of the lock mechanism for the holding nut of the movable table top portion. Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a side view of the inclosing shell of the threaded rod. Fig. 10 is a side view of the slidable locking plate of the inclosing shell of the threaded rod. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of the inner divided hoop and one of the handle supports, illustrating their construction.

The improved device comprises a supporting frame or stand, a stationary table top portion having a central circular opening, and a circular table top portion mounted for rotation within the opening. The stationary table top portion will preferably be circular but may be of other form if required. The supporting frame may be of any required construction, either plain or ornamental, and it is not desired therefore to limit the invention to any specific form of the stationary table top portion or to the supporting frame, neither is it desired to limit the form of the table top or frame.

For the purpose of illustration a supporting frame or stand of somewhat ornamentalconstruction is shown with an annular stationary table top portion having hinged side portions or leaves so that the table top may be partly folded when not in use. The supporting frame comprises four legs 10 preferably extending inwardly at the center and united to a plate 11 as shown, the upper ends of the legs connected to a top frame formed of crossed bars 12, the bars preferably halved where they cross each other, as indicated. Extending between the crossed bars 12 and the plate 11 is a hollow casing 13 having a transverse longitudinal opening in one side covered by a swinging closure or door it, the object to be hereafter explained.

The stationary table top is indicated at 15 and is permanently secured to the cross members 12 and provided with a central circular opening 16. At its opposite sides the portion 15 of the stationary top is provided with leaf members 1718 hinged respectively at 1920 to the table top portion 15. The leaves 1718 are segmental in form, and when in open position form a complete circle in conjunction with the portion'lti, as shown. Depending from the top section 15 and bearing against the outer ends of the bars 12 is a skirt member 21, and attached respectively to the skirt member at opposite sides are small metal plates 22-23 having notches in their upper edges opposite transverse apertures in the skirt members, and hinged at 2425 to the leaves 1718 are brace rods 2627, the free ends of the rods being reduced in size at 2829 to form shoulders so that when the reduced portions are passed through the apertures in the skirt members the shoulders will bear against the plates 2223 and thus cause the bars 2627 to support the leaves 17-18 in open position or in longitudinal alinement with the top member 15. When it is desired to release one or both of the leaf members it is only necessary to elevate the free ends of the rods 26 and 27 to enable the bodiesof the rods to pass through the apertures and permit the members to fall into a perpendicular position.

Mounted upon the bars 12 at their crossing points is a metal plate 30 having a central aperture 31 and an annular channel 32 to receive a plurality of bearing balls 33. The aperture 31 corresponds to and registers with an aperture 34 extending through the cross bars 12.

A hearing plate 36 is connected to the lower end of the casing 13 by screws or other fastening means and provided with a cen tral step 37 to receive the lower reduced end 38 of a stud 39, the stud extending upwardly through the hollow casing 13 and likewise through the apertures 34 and 31 and provided at its upper end with a bearing plate 40, the latter engaging upon the bearing balls 33. The lower portion of the stud 39 is threaded at 41 and engaging this threaded portion is a nut 12 bearing beneath the bars 12 within the hollow casing 13 so that the stud and its plate 10 are held from upward movement, while at the same time permitted free rotary movement upon the balls 33. The table top is thus retained in place even if overturned, and preventing the displacement of the balls. Attached to the plate 40 is a movable table top portion 13 which fits within the aperture 16 but is smaller than the aperture so that a considerable space is left between the margins of the circular table top portion and the inner face of the opening 16 to provide means for the insertion of the table cloth supporting device, as hereafter explained. The plate 10 is preferably integral with the stud 39 and is secured to the member 43 by machine bolts lat, and to conceal the heads of these bolts and likewise to prevent their accidental displacement, the upper surface of the table top portion is recessed at the points where the bolts are inthe filling plate preferably being of metal and with its upper surface flush with the general surface of the member 43. By this simple arrangement it will be obvious that the member 43 may be freely rotated to bring any required portion of its surface opposite any required portion of the stationary table top portion, as hereafter more fully explained.

The threaded portion of the stud 39, enables the plate 10 to be adjusted vertically to any required extent, and by providing a door 14: in the side of the hollow casing 13, the nut holding means is readily accessible to enable the nut to be held stationary when the movable table top portion is to be removed.

Disposed within the casing 13 is a shell, preferably of sheet metal and formed with spaced sides 6'061 and a connecting web 62, the latter having an offset 63 extending to the inner face of the casing 13 opposite the door 14 and providing a securing means, as shown, while the lower edges of the members 606162 are drawn outwardly at 6 1 to form flanges to enable the shell to be secured upon the inner face of the bottom member 36 of the casing. The upper end of the shell does not extend to the bars 12, but stops short thereof a distance greater than the thickness of the nut 42, so that the latter when in position against the members 12 will freely rotate above the shell. The web portion 62 is provided with a central opening '65 and spaced slots 6667. Slidably disposed within the shell and bearing against the inner face of the web 62 is a plate 68 having pins 69-70 operating in the slots 66-67 and serving as a guide for the plate in its vertical movement, the plate being substantially equal in length to the web 62, so that when in its downward position its end is located below the line of the nut 42 and does not interfere with the operation of the latter, but when the plate is elevated its upper end projects alongside the nut and forms a stop thereto and prevents the rotation of the nut, as hereafter explained. Attached to the outer face of the web 62 opposite the open ing 65 is a bracket device 7 2 having an aperture opposite the lower portionof the opening 65. Fitting through the adjacent face of the casing 13 is a shaft 7 4-, the outer end of the shaft having a knob 7 5 and the inner end extending through the bracket and likewise through the opening 65 and terminating in a crank 7 6, the bearing of the crank fitting into the slot 71 of the plate 68. The plate 68 is also provided with a transverse slot 71. By this arrangement it will be obvious that when the shaft 7 4; is oscillated the bearing of the crank 76 operating against the walls of the slot 71 will elevate and depress the plate 68, the aperture 65 permitserted and a filling plate at inserted therein, ting the movement of the crank without cramping the members. By this means when the rotatable table top portion is to be removed the knob 75 is oscillated to'move the plate 68 into its upward position in the path of the nut 42, and thus serve as a lock to hold the nut stationary while the table top is rotated to cause the screw stud 39 to be removed from the nut and thus release the member 43, leaving the nut within the casing 13 and in the bottom of the shell formed by the members 606162.

Then the movable table top member 43 is to be restored the stud 39 is thrust through the apertures in the plate 30 and members 12 and entered by its lower end into the nut, and the member 43 rotated to feed the nut upward, to its operative position as before, the sides (SO-61 and the plate 68 holding the nut from rotation during this operation, while the plate 68 will prevent the rotation of the nut after it passes above the upper end of the shell. After the member 43 has been rotated to a sufiicient extent to bring the nut 42 into its operative position the shaft 74 is reversed in position to depress the plate 68, and thus leave the nut 42 free to rotate with the member 43. The door 14 provides ready access to the interior of the casing 13 in the event of it being necessary to manipulate the nut by hand when first entering the stud 39 therein.

Bearing within the circular opening 16 is a divided hoop 46, the hoop being a little less than one half as wide as the space between the members 15 and 43, and surrounding the member 43 is another similarly divided hoop 47, the latter likewise being a little less in thickness than one half of the space between the members 15 and 43, so that a table cloth portion maybe secured between the hoop 46 and the stationary table top portion 15, and a table cloth portion likewise secured between hoop 47 and the movable table top portion 43, and held in position by friction only. The inner divided hoop 47 is preferably arranged to project a slight distance above the movable portion 43 to produce a distinct line of demarcation between the two table top portions so that the occupants of the table will not be liable to place dishes partly upon one portion of the top and partly upon the other which might result in their being overturned or the contents spilled, as will be obvious.

Attached at suitable intervals to the divided ring 47 are knobs 58, each knob connected by a rivet or other fastening means 59 to an L shaped member 77, the latter engaging in recesses in the hoop 47 and secured by rivets or other fastening means.

The L shaped members 77 are widest at their upper ends, the wider portion projecting beyond the inner face of the hoop 47 and thus forming stops to bear upon the upper face of the movable table top portion 43, and thus retain the hoop in an elevated position to form a stop rib between the movable table top portion 43 and the stationary table top portion, as above noted. Any required number of the knobs may be employed but for the purpose of illustration five are shown which will be generally the number employed, so that means for operating the movable table top portion may be readily accessible to each occupant of the table. The knobs 58 remain permanent portions of the hoop 47 and are removed and attached with the hoop, and do not interfere with its operation as a supporting means for the table cloth portion The ends of the hoop 46 are spaced apart and engaged at their ends within a curved metal member 48, the member 48 being substantially U shaped transversely, and secured by rivets or other fastening means 49 to one end of the hoop and provided with a longitudinal slot through which a pin 78 passes to slidably engage the other end of the hoop, and with a spring 50 within the member 48 and fitting in slots in the ends of the hoop, so that the hoop will be held yieldably in distended position and thus produce a certain degree of strain upon the outer table cloth portion indicated at 51. The outer table cloth portion is shown in section in Fig. 1, the section being taken centrally of the outer portion of the table cloth and then extending around the outer hoop member 46, so that the table cloth-is shown in section its full width including the parts which hang over the edges of the foldable leaves 1718. By this means the location of the table cloth is clearly shown while at the same time the outer lines of the table top and its leaves are clearly shown. The ends of the hoop 47 are likewise spaced apart and provided with a coupling member 52 similar to the member 48 and likewise connected by rivets or other fastening means 53 to one end of the hoop and slidably engaging the opposite end of the hoop, the member 52 provided with an aperture 54 through which a pin 55 is adapted to be passed and engage one at a time with a plurality of apertures 56 in the opposite end of the hoop 47. By this means the tension of the hoop 47 may be adjusted as required to secure a table cloth portion 57 to the inner table top portion 43. By this simple means a table cloth portion having a circular central opening may be attached to the outer stationary table top portion 15 and held thereon by the tension of the hoop 46, and a circular table cloth portion may be likewise secured upon the central circular tav containing food supplies that are ordinarily required to be passed from person to person at the table may be disposed upon the movable member 43 and thus be readily accessible to each person at the table by simply rotating the central portion by manipulatlng one of the knobs 58 so as to bring the desired dish opposite the person requiring it and without the necessity of the occupant of the table annoying other occupants to pass the dishes.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be inexpensively manufac-..

tured, and adapted to either hotel, restaurant or family. use as may be required.

The improved device may be constructed in any required size or of any required material, and may be modified to any required extent within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

That is claimed, is

l. A table comprising a supporting stand including crossed transverse bars and a transverse support intermediate the stand, a stationary table top portion secured upon said bars and provided with a central aperture, a plate bearing upon said crossed bars and provided with a central aperture and an annular channel, said crossed bars having an aperture in alinement with the aperture of said plate, a casing depending from said cross bars, a stop device carried by said casing, a stud extending through said apertures and engaging said stop device and threaded within the casing, a nut engaging said threaded portion and bearing against the bars, means carried by said casing for holding said nut from rotation when it is desired to remove the stud from the casing, a bearing plate carried by said stud and extending over said channeled plate, bearing balls within said channel and engaged by said bearing plate and rotative therewith within the opening of the stationary top portion.

2. In a table of the class described, the combination of a supporting stand, an outer table top portion having a central circular opening and secured to said stand, a circular table top portion within said opening, means for mounting said circular table top portion for rotation upon said stand, means for supporting a table cloth upon said outer table top portion, a hoop divided at one point and bearing around said rotative table top portion, means for adjustably coupling the ends of said inner hoop, a table cloth port-ion engaging between said hoop and the rotative table top, and a plurality of upwardly directed handles spaced apart and connected to said hoop.

3. A table comprising a supporting stand,

a table top portion having a central opening and secured to said stand, a circular table top portion within said opening, means for mounting said circular table top'portion for rotation upon said stand, a hoop divided at one point and bearing around said circular table top portion and provided with a plurality of recesses spaced apart, means for adjustably coupling the ends of said hoop, a bracket engaging in each of said recesses and each with an inwardly directed arm, and a handle connected to each of said arms.

4. A table comprising a supporting stand, a table top portion having a central opening and secured to said stand, a circular table top portion within said opening, means for mounting said circular table top portion for rotation upon said stand, a divided hoop encircling said revolving table top and extending above the same to form a marginal stop rib thereto, means for applying strain to the ends of the hoop, and a table cloth engaging between the revolving table top and the hoop.

5. A table comprising a supporting stand, a casing, a stationary table top portion secured upon said stand and provided with a central aperture, a plate bearing upon said stand and provided with a central aperture and an annular channel, said stand having an aperture in alinement with the aperture of said plate, a step device carried by said casing, a stud extending through said apertures and engaging said step device and threaded intermediate the ends, a bearing plate carried by said stud and extending over said channeled plate, bearing balls within said channel and engaged by said bearing plate, a table top portion connected to said bearing plate and rotative therewith within the opening of the stationary table top portion, a shell within said casing and inclosing said stud and with its upper end below the nut when in operative position, a plate slidable within said shell and adapted to be moved into the path of the nut, and means for actuating said plate.

6. A table comprising a supporting stand, a casing, a stationary tabletop portion secured upon said stand and provided with a central aperture, a plate bearing upon said stand and provided with a central aperture and anannula-r channel, said stand having an aperture in alinement with the aperture of said plate, a step device carried by said casing, a stud extending through said apertures and engaging said step device and threaded intermediate the ends, a bearing plate carried by said stud and extending over said channeled plate, bearing balls within said channel and engaged by said bearing plate, a table top portion connected to said bearing plate and rotative therewith Within the opening of the sta- With a crank engaging in a slot in said tionary table top portion, a shell Within slidable plate. 10 said casing and inelosing said stud and with In testimony whereof, I atfix my sigits upper end below the nut When in operanature, in presence of two witnesses.

tive position, a plate slidable Within said FRANK E. BRUNSON. shell and adapted to be moved into the path lVitnesses:

of the nut, and a shaft mounted for rota- ETHELYN BERRINGER,

tion in said casing and shell and provided A. BEsUNE. 

